This invention relates to automated banking machines. Specifically this invention relates to an automated banking machine system and method that includes operating an automated banking machine with a portable device in a secure wireless network environment.
Automated banking machines are known. A type of automated banking machine used by consumers is an automated teller machine (xe2x80x9cATMxe2x80x9d). ATMs enable customers to carry out banking transactions. Banking transactions that may be carried out with ATMs may include the dispensing of cash, the receipt of deposits, the transfer of funds between accounts, the payment of bills, cashing checks, receiving money orders and account balance inquiries. The type of banking transactions a customer can carry out are often determined by the capabilities of the particular banking machine and the programming of the machine by the institution operating the machine. Other types of automated banking machines may allow customers to charge against accounts or to transfer funds. Other types of automated banking machines may print or dispense items of value such as coupons, tickets, wagering slips, vouchers, checks, food stamps, money orders, scrip or travelers checks. For purposes of this disclosure an ATM, automated banking machine or automated transaction machine shall encompass any device which carries out transactions including transfers of value.
ATMs often authorize and perform transactions responsive to communications with a host banking system. Such communications generally take place through dedicated or dial-up networks or over telephone lines. As a result ATMs are usually installed in locations which have access to the physical network ports and/or communications lines. If such ports or lines are not present, either the proposed ATM location must be remodeled to include such a physical network connection or the ATM must be installed in a different location. Such land line based network requirements may limit the range of locations where an ATM can be installed. Consequently there exists a need for an ATM that can be installed in locations which may not be readily modified to include a land line based communication network connection or port
ATMs are generally operated using input and output devices included in a dedicated user interface on the machine. Generally only one user may operate such a user interface at a time. There further exists a need for an ATM system that can be operated remotely and/or by plural users. There further exists a need for ATM systems which may be produced and operated more economically. There further exists a need for ATM systems that can carry out more types of transactions and which may carry out transactions rapidly and reliably.
It is an object of an exemplary form of the present invention to provide an automated banking machine at which a user may conduct transactions.
It is a further object of an exemplary form of the present invention to provide an automated banking machine that may be installed in locations which do not have land line based communication network connections and ports.
It is a further object of an exemplary form of the present invention to provide an automated banking machine system that may be operated using portable wireless devices.
It is a further object of an exemplary form of the present invention to provide an automated banking machine system that may be operated by plural users to carry out transactions.
It is a further object of an exemplary form of the present invention to provide methods for operation of an automated banking machine system.
Further objects of other exemplary forms of the present invention will be made apparent in the following Best Modes for Carrying Out Invention and the appended claims.
The foregoing objects are accomplished in an exemplary embodiment of the invention by an automated banning machine that includes output devices such as a display screen, and input devices such as a touch screen and/or a keyboard. The banking machine further includes devices such as a dispenser mechanism for sheets such as currency, a printer mechanism, a card reader/writer, a depository mechanism and other transaction function devices that are used by the machine in carrying out banking transactions.
The banking machine is in operative connection with at least one computer. The computer is in operative connection with the output devices and the input devices, as well as with the sheet dispenser mechanism, card reader and other transaction function devices in the banking machine. The computer includes software programs that are executable therein and that are operative to enable a user to perform transactions with the machine.
The exemplary embodiment of the machine further includes a wireless network interface. The wireless network interface is operative to provide the machine with wireless access to at least one private or proprietary network. In one exemplary embodiment the wireless network interface includes a digital cellular receiver and transmitter in operative connection with the computer. The computer is operative to use the wireless network interface to call out over a digital cellular communication network to form a secure connection with a remote host banking system. Transaction messages may then be communicated between the machine and the host banking system through wireless digital cellular calls.
In an alternative exemplary embodiment the wireless network interface includes a wireless ethernet network interface card in operative connection with the computer. The computer is operative to wirelessly connect to a wireless ethernet hub located within range of the machine. The exemplary wireless ethernet hub is in operative connection with one or more public or private wide area networks that include one or more host banking systems.
In exemplary embodiments, the automated banking machine may be operative to authorize and perform transactions with the host banking system by sending and receiving communications across a wireless connection. The wireless connection enables the exemplary machine to be placed in locations which do not have physical access to a land line based communication network connection or port. For example it may be desirable to place an automated banking machine in a location such as the middle of a room or hallway. Such locations are typically very difficult to wire with a communication port because there is often no adjacent wall or poll to route a network or phone line. Alternative exemplary embodiments may include automated banking machines located on portable structures or on vehicles.
In some exemplary embodiments an automated banking machine may be adapted to provide portable wireless devices with access to a public or private wide area network in operative connection with the machine. In such embodiments, an exemplary wireless network interface of the machine may include a wireless hub, router or gateway device that is selectively operative to give portable wireless devices fee based access to a wide area network such as the Internet. Examples of portable wireless devices include notebook computers, cell phones, PDAs, Palm(copyright) compatible devices, Windows CE(copyright) devices or any other portable or handheld computing device that has wireless functionality.
When the wireless device initially connects to the machine, information corresponding to an account associated with the portable wireless device may be communicated to the machine. The automated banking machine responsive to the account information may verify that the account is valid by further communicating with a host banking system or other authorization server. Once authorization is verified the machine may give the portable wireless device access to the wide area network
In exemplary embodiments the automated banking machine may accept information corresponding to an account such as a credit card or debit card account. Such an exemplary machine may provide access to the wide area network for a fee which is charged to the credit or debit card. Alternatively charges may be made to data representative of monetary value on a smart card or stored in a memory in or operatively connected to the portable device. Such a fee for example may be based on the amount of time the user spends connected to the wide area network, the amount of data being communicated, or a flat fee rate for unlimited access for a certain time period. Exemplary embodiments may accept other forms of payment such as electronic money transferred from the device. Also the machine may accept payment by direct transfer of money from an authorized checking account, savings account or other financial account associated with the portable wireless device to an account associated with the machine. In one or more of the previously described embodiments, the machine may further require the user to enter an identification value, a password or a personal identification number (PIN) that is associated with the user or their account.
In some exemplary embodiments the machine may accept an Internet Service Provider (ISP) account and a password associated with the account. The machine may access an ISP that is associated with the account to determine if the remote device is permitted access. The machine may then report the amount of usage to the ISP and the service provider may bill the owner of the device for the cost of the network usage.
In alternative exemplary embodiments, the banking machine may enable a portable wireless device to conduct transactions with the automated banking machine. Such transactions may include for example the dispense of cash, a balance inquiry, the transfer of funds between accounts, the payment of bills, the deposit of checks, cash, or transfer of electronic money to or from an account, the purchase of tickets, or any other transaction that includes the transfer of value.
For transactions such as the withdrawal of physical cash, exemplary embodiments of an automated banking machine may enable multiple portable wireless devices to perform the majority of the transaction steps at a distance from the machine and then individually prompt each user of a device to come into proximity with the machine and receive the corresponding cash withdrawal. To limit the potential for cash to be dispensed to the incorrect user, the machine may further require the portable wireless device to send a xe2x80x9cdispense nowxe2x80x9d or other message when the user is standing next to the cash dispenser device portion of the machine or is otherwise in position to receive the requested cash.
To reduce the possibility that wireless information may be intercepted by third parties, exemplary automated banking machines may be operative to perform a secure handshaking protocol with each portable wireless device. Such a protocol is operative to establish an encrypted communication channel for passing information between the banking machine and each portable wireless device. Such a protocol may be based on a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol for example which includes the authentication of digital certificates. Each automated banking machine, or a grouping of associated banking machines, may have their own digital certificates which can be independently authenticated by the portable wireless devices. Such digital certificates can provide the users of the portable wireless devices with assurances that the automated banking machine they are communicating with is a legitimate machine and not an imposter device posing as an automated banking machine for purposes of stealing account number information and identification values.
In exemplary embodiments the automated banking machine may be made in a smaller form factor by eliminating input and/or output devices such as the display screen, keypads, and function keys found in conventional ATMs for example. For such embodiments, the portable wireless devices may include a client software application which provides a user interface on the display device of the portable wireless device for interfacing and performing transactions with the automated banking machine. For example, such a client application may be a downloaded plugin for a browser of the portable wireless device or may be a Java(copyright) application operative in a Java Virta Machine of the portable wireless device. Such a client may be based on HTML, WML or XML based documnents received from the machine. In other embodiments the client may be a service that is integrated into the operating system or hardware of the portable wireless device.
The exemplary client may further include a data store which is operative to store a log of transactions performed with the client. The client may further be operative to export the log of transactions to a financial software application such as Quicken(copyright) or Microsoft Money(copyright). In other exemplary embodiments the automated banking machine may further be operative to communicate with portable wireless terminals of maintenance users. Such portable wireless devices may include client applications which are operative to facilitate the servicing of the machine remotely.